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I just tried using TAT's .csv files to make a filter in GSAK. I'm getting strange results and I'm wondering if I've found a bug in GSAK or if I'm doing something wrong. Here's the details:

I'm running GSAK Version 6.6.1 (Build=30). I've got a database created from 3 pocket queries to cover the whole state. The first one contains all caches in Maine hidden between 1/1/01 and 9/10/04, the second contains all Maine caches hidden between 9/11/04 and 12/31/05, and the third has all caches from 1/1/06 to 12/31/09. This gives me a database with 1244 waypoints.

To use one of TAT's files as a filter I use this menu command: Search -> Filter -> Arc/Poly -> Load from file. I then pick the .csv file from those TAT posted in the zip file for the desired map. TAT's .csv files contain the coordinates for the 4 corners of the map expressed in decimal degrees, DD.DDDDDDDD. So for instance, when I choose TAT's file for map 5, I get this loaded:
43.66666667,-70.58333333
44.08333333,-70.58333333
43.66666667,-70.16666667
44.08333333,-70.16666667
Then I choose Filter Type -> Polygon and hit the "Go" button. The filter gets applied, resulting in a subset found that contains 64 waypoints.

The problem is if I do the same thing, but instead of loading a .cvs file I put in the coordinates of the 4 corners myself, manually, using the DD MM.MMM like this:
N 43 40.000, W 70 35.000
N 43 40.000, W 70 10.000
N 44 05.000, W 70 10.000
N 44 05.000, W 70 35.000
I get a different result. This method yields 133 waypoints.

I've exported both methods' results into .gpx files and opened them with Mapsource to visually compare them and they both cover the same geographical area. The only difference is the one made from the .csv file is missing a bunch of waypoints. I've compared both results to a Mapsoure plotting of all the database's waypoints and the DD MM.MMM method seems to have them all where the DD.DDDDDDD method is missing a bunch.

I also tried loading the DD MM.MMM coordinates as a text file from the same menu commands and it still picked up all the waypoints in the polygon. Also, entering the DD.DDDDDDD cordinates manually results in missing waypoints.

I'm wondering if there a bug in using GSAK with DD.DDDDDDD coordinates or am I doing something wrong.

I think I figured it out....

Looking at my own post it become obvioous to me that the way the numbers in the .csv files are listed they were making a bow tie shaped polygon instead of a rectangle. If I rearrange the numbers in the .csv file I get the same results as I do from the manually entered ones.

Looking at my own post it become obvioous to me that the way the numbers in the .csv files are listed they were making a bow tie shaped polygon instead of a rectangle. If I rearrange the numbers in the .csv file I get the same results as I do from the manually entered ones.

Insert Homer Simpson "DOH!" here.

I just figured out the same thing. I couldn't figure out why caches I knew I had found weren't showing up with my filter. Do the order of all the squares in the *.csv have to be rearranged or is there another easier way to get it to work right?

Does someone want to explain in plain english what you are all trying to do?

Sure.

Team Teabow placed a cache, Delorme Challenge. The object of the cache is to find at least one cache on each of the 70 maps in the Delorme Gazateer. One approach is to use GSAK.

If you click on the "seach" tab then filters, a pop up will appear that has several tabs. One of the tabs is "arc/poly". Then, pick "load from file". The program is looking for a certain type of file, which some of us have created. The file has the extension .csv and is sometimes called a "csv file". The file is a list of waypoints. If you check "polygon" the program will try to interperate the points as a triangle or square or rectangle, whatever shape the points make.

The Delorme maps are 4 sided, so each file has 4 waypoints for the corners. The GSAK program has an easy time going from corner 1 to 2 to 3 to 4. It has a hard time if you list the corners out of ordrer, say 1 to 2 then catty-corrner to 4 and back to 3. It draws the shape of a bow tie, not a rectangle.

The spreadsheet now show 3 colors. Light Blue indicates that there is at least one cache to be found on that map. Red indicates that we need to get "someone" to place a cache. Dark Gray is for the exempted maps.

Haffy, the smarter method is to ask BRDAD if you can borrow his Gazateer!

Ha! I was just thinking the same thing! I just bought a new one, actually To start fresh with just the caches I have not found yet. That's 700 of 'em!). I remember when I had about 160 caches left to find in Maine and thought I might get them all one day. The old gazateer is getting a little congested with all those marks. But I still prefer it over the laptop, GPS, or PDA maps.